A new durability series of elastomers has been developed by Cabot Corporation. The first in the company’s Engineered Elastomer Composites (E²C) solutions line will be its DX9730 product. Enabled by proprietary technology for mixing reinforcing agents into elastomers, E²C solutions are premixed composite solutions designed to help tire manufacturers achieve ever greater levels of performance, sustainably and economically.
E²C solutions have been shown to break critical trade-offs in OTR/earthmover tire design by both lowering operating temperatures and extending tire life significantly. DX9730 specifically is said to offer breakthrough improvements in cut, chip and chunk resistance. This can enable an average mine to increase haulage capacity, boost output and reduce annual downtime for tire changes, leading to potential savings of up to US$150m per year.
“Through our collaborations with existing customers, we have shown the power to enable growth by expanding the performance triangle, shortening development cycles, and reducing operational barriers to new product commercialization,” explained David Reynolds, vice president and general manager, Cabot Elastomer Composites.
Cabot’s E²C solutions empower tire manufacturers to simplify commercialization of high-performance products through the availability of premixed composites delivered in a ready-to-use and easy-to-handle product form.
E²C solutions can be integrated into current production methods without additional capital investment. They also require fewer mixing stages, lower mixing temperatures and shorter mixing cycles than conventional products, significantly reducing operating costs and enabling additional production capacity.
“The rubber industry is poised to undergo significant change as forward-looking tire and rubber products manufacturers focus on the core task of designing and marketing more sustainable products that meet rapidly evolving consumer and regulatory requirements,” said Bart Kalkstein, president, reinforcement materials at Cabot.
“After a number of years of improving this technology through successful customer collaborations and field tests, as well as a period of exclusivity with one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers, we are excited to offer this solution to our global customer base.”
